Year: 2025
Type: article
Study design: Case Report
Abstract: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with diverse clinical manifestations characterized by periods of remission and relapse. This report describes the case of a 24-year-old woman with a history of hypothyroidism who developed erythema multiforme major (EMM) following exposure to ciprofloxacin, an antibiotic in the fluoroquinolone class. Subsequent rheumatologic evaluation confirmed a diagnosis of underlying SLE, supported by positive serologic markers and clinical criteria. This case highlights ciprofloxacin-induced EMM as a trigger for unmasking SLE, diagnosed via the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) criteria, and underscores the need for rheumatologic evaluation in drug-induced hypersensitivity reactions. Early recognition and intervention are crucial to managing SLE and preventing long-term complications.
Source: Cureus
DOI: 10.7759/cureus.85483
Authors: Paola A Alicea, Ricardo A Muñoz, Vanessa Sepúlveda
Institution: University of Puerto Rico, Medical Sciences Campus
Language: English
Subfield: Rheumatology
Field: Medicine
Domain: Health Sciences
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4411080425